William r



(No Model.)

W. R. PATTERSON.

INSULATING TAPE.

No. 497,336. Patented May 16,1893. 2l-Zyl' Figi# l/venan UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM R. PATTERSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE IVESTERN ELECTRICCOMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

lNSULATlNG-TAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 497,336, dated May I6, 1893.

Application tiled August 24, 1891. Serial No. l403,597. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: embodying my invention, the air spaces being Be it known that I, WILLIAM R. IATTER- shown between the different wires.

SON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Like parts are indicated by similar letters of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of reference throughout the dierent figures.

Illinois, have invented a certain new and use- The tape ct may be corrugated and cut in 55 ful Improvement in Insulating the Tires of the center b as indicated in Figs. l, 2 and 3 Telegraph-Cables, (Case No. 89,) of which the by running the same through cogged wheels, following is a full, clear, concise, and exact dethe cogs being of the required width. In this scription, reference being had to the accommanner the central portion of the tape is torn to panying drawings, formingapartof this speciand stretched and thereby softened so that 6o fication. when wound upon a wire as shown in Fig. 3

Heretofore paper tape has been used as an this central portion b will take the form of a insulator or clothing for the different wires spiral ridge. Any desired number'of thickof cables but the tape having been of uniform nesses of tape may be wound about the difconsistency and wound on of uniform thickferent wires; when formed into a cable as 65 ness no air spaces have been left between the shown in Fig. 5 there will be air spaces c bewires. tween the wires, thus making the electrostatic My invention herein consists, first, in paper capacity of the cable much less than that of tape corrugated transversely7 at the center, cable wound with ordinary tape.

zo the edges being left unbroken so that the tape In Fig. 4 I have shown perforations d at the 7o may have suflicient strength to permit it to center of the tape. Vhen tape thus partially be Wound upon the wire; and second, my incut away at the center is wound upon the vention consists in a cable, the separate wires wire it is evident that airspaces will be formed of which are insulated by paper tape corruwhere the paper has been removed. Thus gated transversely at the center, said tape the desired result will be accomplished. The 75 when wound upon the wires on account of manner of making these perforations or of such softening or partial cutting away of corrugating the tape at the center is immathe center thereof being contracted or puckterial so long as the tape when wound upon ered at the center so that the thickness of the the Wire will leave air spaces between the 3o covering composed of the central or corruwires. so gated portion of the tape will be greater than I have found the tape corrugated at the at other portions thereof. In this manner a center as shown in Figs. I and 2 preferable spiral ridge of loose texture or consistency is to the form shown in Fig. 4, since the corruformed about each wire. As many layers of gation and cutting may be made at the same such paper tape may be wound about each timethe tape isbeingwound onto thebobbins, 85 wire as may be desired. I have found that while cutting in the manner shown in Fig. 4 two layers of sixty pound paper in strips iiverequires special machinery which must be eighths of an inch wide are sufficient to cover kept in order.

a No. 1S B. dz: S. gage conductor to a diam- My invention admits of other modifications 4o eter of an eighth of an inch. which would readily suggest themselves to 9o My invention is illustrated in the accomthose skilled in the art, andI therefore do not panying drawings, in which limit myself to the precise details of con- Figure l is an enlarged edge View of a strip struction illustrated and described herein. of paper embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is For instance, two ormore lines of perforations i a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is an elevaparallel, or nearly so, may be provided in 95 l tion of a single wire insulated with my paper the tape at or near the center of the tape. l tape. Fig. 4 is a plan view of a piece of pa IIaving thus described my invention, I i per tape in which the central portion is perclaim as new and desire to secure by Letters forated or partially cut away. Fig. 5 is an Patent--u 5o end View of a cable composed of seven wires 1. As a new article of manufacture, an inroo sulating tape weakened at the middle in such manner and to such extent, that when Wound into a helix one or more helical ridges may be formed at or near the center of said tape, substantially as described.

2. As L new article of manufacture, an insulating tape adapted when wound into a heliX to buckle upon one or more interior lines to form helical ridges upon said tape, substantially as described. 1o

In Witness whereof l hereunto subscribe my name this 5th day of August, A. D. 1891.

VILLIAM R. PATTERSON. Witnesses:

EDITH M. ARNOLD, GEORGE L. CRAGG. 

